Turbotransmission



April 17,1945. Y J JANDASEK Q 2,373,894

TURBO TRANSMIS SION Filed July 2, 1942 INV ENTOR 9871, tfan Jase}?ATTORNEYS Patented Apr. 17, 1945 TURBOTRANSMISSION Joseph J andasek,Detroit, ,Mieh., asslgnor to Bendix Aviation Corporation, South Bend,1:10.,

a corporation of Delaware Application July 2, 1942, Serial No. 449,447

12 Claims.

This invention relates to transmissions, and more particularly to aturbotransmission of the regenerative type having means for transmittingpower to a driven shaft at a plurality'of variable speed ratios, one ofsaid speed ratios beingflxed through planetary gearing and anothervratiobeing infinitely variable through a fluid drive.

An object of this invention is to provide a fluid power transmittingdevice wherein means are provided to render the device operative as atorque converter or as a turboclutch having a multi-stage impeller.

Afurther object of the invention resides in'the pinions interposedbetween the ring gear and sun gear of the planetary gearing.

A further object of the invention resides in the provision ofautomatically operable locking means in the provision of locking meansoperable upon predetermined movement of a guide wheel member out of apower transmitting fluid circuit to lock the guide wheel member to arotatable member to function as an auxiliary impeller or turbine member.I I

Another object is to provide a fluid transmission having a movablemember influenced by fluid reaction and impeller speed to operate thetransmission as a torque converter or as a turboclutch having a singleormultiple fluid energizing member.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from thefollowing detailed description considered in connection with theaccompanying drawing, submitted for purposes of illustration only, andnot intended to deflne the scope of the invention, reference being hadfor that purpose to the subjoined claims. a

to interconnect a retractible fluid energizing or energy absorbingmember to another member as the member moves to a substantiallypredetermined position relative to the power transmitting fluid circuit.

Another'object of the invention is to provide:

automatically operable locking means to lock a retractible guide wheelto a rotating shaft when the guide wheel approaches a. substantiallypredetermined position relative to the fluid circuit.

Yet a still further object resides in the provision of a fluiddeflectingmember movable in a power transmitting fluid circuit betweenstationary and rotating positions wherein said member operates as'areaction member or as a fluid, energizing or energy absorbing member andwherein automatically operable means are provided to lock said member toa rotatable member when moved to a substantially predetermined positionrelative to the fluid circuit.

Another object of the invention is to provide a regenerativeturbotransmission associated with a mechanical gear connection betweendriving and driven shafts to regenerate a portion of the applied powerto the driving shaft and wherein manually operable means are provided torender the regeneration of power inoperative to transmit' power throughthe planetary gearing-to the a driven shaft.

Still a further object of the invention resides device illustrated inFig. 1.

In the drawing wherein similar reference char acters refer to similarparts throughout the sev eral views: Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectionalview of a 'device embodying the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially on the line22 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows. A

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of a portion of the Fig. 4 is a sectionalview taken substantially on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3 looking in thedirection of the arrows.

Before explaining in detail the present invention it is to be understoodthat theinvention is ions l6 and I8 as illustrated in Fig. 2 to drive asun gear 20,. The pinions l6 and iii are rotatably not limited in itsapplication to the details of, construction and arrangement of partsillustrated in the accompanying drawing, since the invention is capableof other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in variousways. Also it is to be understood that the 'phraseology or terminologyemployed herein is for the purpose of description and not oflimitation.

, Referring now more particularly to Fig. 1, it.

will be observedthat a driving shaft l0 has a radially extended flangeI2 carrying a ring gear I4. The ring gear is operably connected throughpinmounted on stub shafts 22 and 24 secured to a radially extendedflange 23 fixed to a driven shaft 28. l

The sun gear 20 is -mountedfor rotation on bearings 30 on the driven.shaft 28 and thegear has a radially extended flange 32 terminating in adrum 34 flxed to a-rotatable housing 36.

' member 8-3.

:2 asraeca 86 and it carried'by a hub member 88 mounted for rotation onthe driving shaft It.

A one-way drive 50 is interposed between the hub 38 and the drivingshaft I whereby energy absorbed by the turbine may be redirected back tothe driving shaft to increase the effective torque to which the drivingshaft is subjected.

The rotatable housing 36 also has an inwardly extended flange 60 havingan axially extended hub member 82 freely rotatable on a stationary Thestationary member Ed has an enlarged body portion 58 having externalhelical threads 58.. The stationary member at preferably has a radiallyextending flange iii and is provided with spaced bearings l2 supportingthe driving shaft it for rotation.

The axially extended hub member 82 carried by the flange Gil of therotatable housing 38 is provided with external helical threads it inalignment with the helical threads 88 of the enlarged portion 865 of thestationary member E i.

A guide wheel hub TE-having internal helical threads 80 is mounted fortravel on the helical threads 88 and id of the stationary member 88 andthe hub $2 to move axially relative to the driving shaft 58. The hub J8has a radially ex= tended flange t2 supporting guide wheel channelsii iand 88 shiftable in the power transmitting fluid circuit between thedischarge from the turbine and the inlet to the impeller, and betweenthe first and second stages of the turbine.

The guide wheel flange 82 has an auxiliary channel 88 adapted to beintroduced into the power transmitting fluid circuit between the outletfrom the second stage of the turbine 52 and the inlet to the impeller 38when the guidewheel is in the retracted position. In this position the-hub '58 of the guide wheel is mounted on the sleeve carried by androtatable with the hub member 82 of the housing 36.

Means are provided to lock the hub l8 to rotate with the housing 36 andthe impeller 38 as the guide wheel approaches a substantiallypredetermined position in the power transmitting fluid circuit such .aswhen the channel 88 is, interposed between the outlet from the turbineand the inlet to the impeller;

[carried by the members 94.

The impeller hub 62 has a, radially extended flange I04 adjacent theouter end of the helical threads 14 serving as a stop to limit axialmovement of the guide wheel.

Rods I06 axially slidable .in the flanges 60 and I04 are provided withhooks I08 adapted to engage the heads I02 of the member 84 under theinfluence of springs -I I0 interposed between-the hooks I08 and impellerflanges80. The rods I06 project through the flange I04 substantially asillustrated by the'dottedline II2 of Fig. 3 when I02 of the members 98,the members 9 3 may 7 move radially outwardly under the influence ofcentrifugal force exerted on the body portion 98 when the speed ofrotation exerts suficient force to overcome the resistance of the springI08 urging the member 98 toward the driving shaft 40.

Means may be provided to render the regenerative fluid power transmitterinoperative and transmit power from the driving shaft to the drivenshaft through the planetary gearing interposed therebetween.

One illustrative form of such means comprises a brake band '8']positioned to engage the drum 3 5 secured to the housing 38. The brakeband 9i may be actuated by a fluid motor controlled either mechanicallyor automatically under the influence of speed and/or torque conditionsof the driving or driven shafts to lock the rotatable through thepinions iii and E8 on the pins 22 and it to the flange 28 on the drivenshaft 28.

When the sun gear 20 is locked against rotation the pinions i8 rotateabout the stationary sun gear 28 to transmit power to the driven shaft28 at reduced speed in a reverse direction with an increase in torquemultiplication.

The operation of this transmission is as follows: Power applied to thedriving shaft iii is transmitted through the flange I2 and ring gear Itto rotate the pinions I6 and I0. The pinions i8 and i8 are connectedthrough the flange 23 to rotate the driven shaft 28.

Rotation of the pinions I8 is transmitted to rotate the sun gear 20connected through the flange 32 and drum 34 tothe impeller housing 38.Fluid is energized in the impeller channel 38 by rotation of the housing36 and this energy is absorbed by the first and second section turbinechannels 40 and 42 and is transmitted through the turbine hub 48 andone-way driving means 50 to be exerted back on the driving shaft I0.

When the conditions of operation of the turbounit are such that torquemultiplication is required, the guide wheel hub I8 will be in theposition illustrated'in Fig. 1 wherein the guide wheel channels 84 and86 are in the power transmitting fluid circuit at spaced points. Underthese conditions of operation. power is transmitted from the impeller tothe turbine with torque fluid reaction in the-powertransmitting fluidcir- I by fluid reaction in the power transmitting fluid cuit exerted onthe blades in the guide wheel channels 84 and 86 rotates the guide wheelwith reference to the stationary hub 66 whereuponthe guide wheel hub 18'is moved axially towards the left as viewed inFig. 1 with reference tothe impeller hub 62 to engage the smooth portion I5 of the member 82.The guide wheel member may then rotate freely on the portion 15 of themember 62 under the influence of forces exerted thereon by the guidewheel channels-84 and 86 par tially positioned in the power transmittingfluid circuit, and-the auxiliary impeller channel 88 also partiallypositioned in the power transmitting fluid circuit.

When the speed of rotation of the guide wheel l approaches the speed ofrotation of the impeller, the. guide wheel is urged axially under theinfluence of forces exerted thereon in the power transmitting fluidcircuit into engagement with L the helical threads 14 of the impellerhub 62. As

the guide wheel member continues to move axially on the helical threadsthe guide wheel channels 84 and 86 are shifted out of the powertransmitting fluid circuit and the auxiliary impeller channel 88 isshifted into the fluid circuit, the edge II4 I of the guide wheel hub I8engages the ends of the rods I06 to move them from the dotted lineposition II2.into.substant ial alignment with the flange I04 acting as astop to limit axial movement of the guide wheel hub 18.

Axial movement of the rods I06 disengages the hooks I08 fromlthe headsI02 of the members 94' thereby releasing the members 94. When the speedof rotation of .the impeller becomes sufficient to permit the Weights 98to overcome the force exerted by the springs I 00, the members 94 moveradially outwardly to engage the jaws 90 and 92 whereupon the guidewheel is effectively clutched to the impeller. The auxiliary channel 88is then interposed in the power transmitting fluid circuit and operatesas an auxiliary impellerto impart energy from the driving shaft I0 tothe circulating fluid.

When an increase in the load transmitted is r.

encountered, the prime mover .or driving shaft I0 will deceleratewhereupon the centrifugal force exerted on the weight 98 decreases. Whena sufficient decrease in the centrifugal force is attained, the springsI00 move the member 94 to disen age the jaws 90 and 82 and releasing thehub I8 for movement on the hubs 82 and 66 in accordance ber 88 issubjected in the power transmitting fluid circuit. The force exerted bythe springs circuit to the position illustrated in Fig. 1 whereupon theguide wheel channels 84 and 86 are aligned with the power transmittingfluid circuit and power may plication.

I claim: l. A transmission comprising driving and driven shafts,planetary gearing interposed between the driving and driven shafts,regenerative fluid stationary member between an operative position 1wherein the guide wheel is aligned with the power transmitting fluidcircuit and an inoperative positionwher'ein the auxiliary channel isaligned with the power transmitting fluidcircuit, connecting meansbetween the guidewheel member and the impeller member operative uponaxial movement of the guide wheel member relative to the stationarymember 'to said guide. wheel inoperative position to clutch the guidewheel member to the impeller member under the influence of centrifugalforce tooperate the auxiliary channel as an auxiliary impeller.

2. In a regenerative fluid operated transmission, a driving shaft, animpeller operably connected to the driving shaft, a turbine aligned withthe impeller and cooperating therewith to form a power transmittin fluidcircuit, one-way driving means between the turbine and driving shaft,guide wheel means having spaced fluid deflecting channels adapted to beselectively intro-- duced into the power transmitting fluid circuit toselectively operate the transmission as a torque converter or as aturboclutch means to lock the guide wheel member against rotation in onedirection when the transmission is operating as a torque converter, thespaced fluid deflecting channels being responsive to fluid reaction inthe power transmitting fluid circuit to rotate the guide wheelbackwardly relative to the direction of rotation of the impeller andturbine members with loads to which the auxiliary impeller mem- 84, and86 in the power transmitting fluid circuit.- I

As the hub 18 moves away from'the flange I04, the springs IIO yieldinglyurge the rods I06 to move whereupon the hooks I08 engage the heads I02and the endsof the rods I06 project through the flange I04 asillustrated in the dotted line position II2 to lock the members 94 fromoperating under the influence of centrifugal force. The guide wheel hubI8 moves axially on the helical threads under the influence of the forceexerted to operate the transmission as a fluid clutch, means responsiveto backward rotation of the guide wheel member to shiftit axiallyrelative to the fluid circuit,- and means responsive to pre-' determinedshifting of the guide wheel relative to the fluid circuit and topredetermined speed of rotation of the impeller to clutch the guidewheel. to the impeller to operate the guide wheel as an auxiliaryimpeller.

- 3. A'transmission compfsing driving and driven shafts, planetarygearing interposed between the driving and driven shafts,a ring gearbetween the driving shaft and the planetary gearing, a pinion carrierbetween the pinion gears and the driven shaft, a sun gear driven by :theplanetary gearing, a regenerative fluid operated transmission comprisingan impeller driven by the sun gear, a turbine aligned with the impellerand oooperating therewith to form a power transmitting fluid circuit,one-way drivin means between.

the turbine and driving shaft, guide wheel means v having spaced fluiddeflecting channels adapted to be selectively introduced into the powertransmitting fluid circuit to selectively operate the device as a torqueconverter or asa turboclutch, and

meansresponsive to fluid reaction in the power be transmitted withtorque multimission is operating transmitting fluid circuit and thespeed of rota tion of the impeller while the device is operating as aturboclutch to loclithe guide wheel member to the impeller to functionas an auxiliary impeller member.

4. A transmission comprising driving and driven shafts, planetarygearing between the driving and driven shafts, a fluid operatedtransmission comprising aligned impeller and turbine members cooperatingto form a power transmitting fluid circuit, connecting means betweenthefimpeller guide wheel hub cooperating with. the helical threads onthe stationary and impeller members to shift the guide wheel memberrelative to the power transmitting fluid circuit, centrifugally actuatedlocking means operative upon predetermined axial movement of the guidewheel member relative to the impeller member and predetermined speed-ofrotation of the impeller memher to lock the guide wheel member to theimpeller member to operate the guide wheel member as an auxiliaryimpeller, stop means operative upon predetermined axial movement of theguide wheel hub relative to theimpeller member to render inoperative thelocking means, and brake means interposed between the impeller andplan-' etary gearing to render inoperative the fluid operatedtransmission to transmit power from the driving shaftto the driven shaftat a diflerent speed and direction.

5. A jfiuid operated transmission comprising fluid energizing and energyabsorbing blade wheels cooperating to form a power transmitting fluidcircuit, a guide wheel having a plurality otsets of spaced fluiddeflecting bladesto operate the transmission as a torque converter or asa fluid clutch, meansto move the guide wheel relative to the fluidcircuit to selectively introduce said sets of spaced fluid deflectingblades into the power transmitting fluid circuit, means to lock theguide wheel member against rotation when the transmission is operatingas'a torque converter, and.centriiugally actuated means ope'rrable inresponse to variations .of fluid reaction; in the power transmittingfluid circuit and impeller speed to lock the guide wheel member torotate with the impeller member when the transmission is operating asafluid clutch'with one of said sets of fluid deflecting blades 'in thefluid aevaees trifugally operated means responsive to the speed ofrotation of the impeller while the transmission is operating asaturboclutch to lock the guide wheel member to the impeller member tooperaate the guide wheel member as an auxiliary impeller member, andstop means operative while the transmission is operating as a torqueconverter to render inoperative the centriiugally operated means.

L A transmission comprising driving and driv en shafts, aligned impellerandturbine members cooperating to form a power transmitting fluidcircuit, a stationary member, an axially shiftable guide wheel memberhaving a plurality of sets of axially spaced fluid deflecting bladesadapted to be selectively introduced into the fluid circuit, an.impeller hub concentrically mounted on the stationary member, helicalthreads on the stationary and impeller members, a hub for the guidewheel member, helical threads on the guide wheel hub cooperating withthe helical threads on the stationary and impeller members to shiftmember as an auxiliary impeller, and stop means operative uponpredetermined axial movement of the guide wheel hub towards the helicalthreads on the stationary member to render inoperative the lockingmeans.

sill

fit

8. In a fluid operated transmission, driving and driven member's,impeller and turbine members operably connected to the driving anddriven members and cooperating to forma power transmitting fluidcircuit,.an axially extending stationary member, a guide wheel memberhaving spaced bladed channels movable axially relative to the stationarymember between spaced positions to operate the transmission as a torqueconverter or as a fluid clutch, means to lock the guide wheel memberagainst rotation when the transmission is operating as a torqueconverter, locking means operative upon predetermined axial movement ofthe guide wheel member and predetermined rotative speed of the impellercircuit to operate said blades as an auxiliary im 1 peller. -f

6. A turbotransmission comprising impeller and turbinemembers'cooperatingtoform a power transmitting fluid circuit, a guidewheel member having spaced bladed channel-portions movable relative tothe power transmitting fluid circuit to selectively operate-thetransmission as a torque converter or as a turboclutch, means responsiveto fluid reaction in the fluid circuit to move the guide, wheel memberrelative to the power transmitting fluid circuit, means to lock theguide wheel against rotation when the transas a torque converter,cenmember to lock the guide wheel member to the impeller, and anauxiliary impeller channel carried by the guide wheel member andoperative when the transmission is functioning as a fluid clutch toenergize fluid in the power transmitting fluid circuit.

9. A fluid operated transmission comprising guide wheel relative to thefluid circuit to selectively introduce said sets of spaced fluiddeflecting blades into the power transmitting fluid circuit, means tolock the. guide wheel against reverse rotation when the transmission isoperating as a-torque converter, and means operable in response tovariations of fluid reaction in the power transmitting fluid circuitandimpeller speed to lock the guide wheel member to rotate with theimpeller member when the transmission the power transmitting fluidcircuit to selectively I operate the transmission as a torque converteris functioning as a fluid clutch with one of said I sets of fluiddeflecting blades in the fluid circuit to operate said blades as anauxiliary impeller,

' 10. ;A fluid operated transmission comprising .fluid energizing andenergy absorbing blade wheels cooperating to form a power transmittingfluid circuit, a stationary member, a guide wheel having spaced sets ofmain and auxiliary fluid de-' or as a fluid clutch, means to lock theguide wheel member against rotation in one direction when fleetingblades adapted to be selectively introduced into the power transmittingfluid circuit to selectively operate the transmission as a-torqueconverter or as a fluid clutch, means to lock the guide wheel againstrotation when the transmission is operating as a torque converter, meansoperable in response to variations of fluid reaction in the powertransmitting fluid circuit and impeller speed to lock the guide wheelmember to rotate with the impeller member when the transmission isoperating as a fluid clutch and an auxiliary impeller, said last named.means comprising centrifugally actuated means controlling the lockingmeans, and stop means to render the locking means inoperative when themaing fluid deflecting blades are in the power transmitting fluidcircuit to operate the transmission as a torque converter. v

11. A fluid operated transmi ion comprising impeller and turbine memberscooperating to form a power transmitting fluid circuit, a guide wheelmember having spaced fluid deflecting channels adapted to be separatelyintroduced into as the auxiliary fluid deflecting blades are in thefluid circuit to induce said blades tofunction as the transmission isoperating as a torque converter, means responsive to fluid reaction inthe .fluid circuit to move the guide wheel member relative'to the powertransmitting fluid circuit,

and centrifugally operated means responsive to I the speed ofrotation-of the impeller while the transmission is operating as afluidclutchto lock the guide wheel member to the impeller member gearing, aregenerative fluid operated transmis sion interposed between the sungear and the driving shaft and having impeller and turbine memberscooperating to form a power transmitting fluid'circuit; a guide wheelmember having spaced fluid deflecting vanes adapted to be in-- troducedinto the fluid circuit to operate'the fluid operated transmission as atorque converter or as a' fluid clutch, andmeans responsive to fluidreaction in the power transmitting fluid circuit and the speed of theimpeller while the device is operating as a fluid clutch to lock theguide wheel member to the impeller to function as an auxiliary impellermember. I JOSEPH JANDASEK.

